name and where you are from? >> my name is daniel and i'm from baltimore maryland. >> jeffrey toobin. he has a real talent for taking esoteric legal stuff from the supreme court and putting it into context that you can understand. >> is this a book you wanted to read before you came today or were you inspired to buy it after you saw him? >> i read it before as i'm today and he is a new book out that i want to take home. >> are there any other books you recommend as well? ..

list back. >> i just it cannot think you all nine of the girl letting me into your lives to share this story with the world. he would don know it but

public education is our most pressing public social moral compass. positions are entrenched and there is rhetoric on all sides. somehow we are at a point* frustration is that such us the rear that teachers are the villains and they're shutting down schools all over the country. as a writer i went looking in the pressure cooker of schools to raise test scores against the clock and what we're throwing away. instead i a mad passionate dedicated teachers that the community rallied around i found a group of kids that were largely abandoned by the system. the book traces said

20092010 school year at rated high. at that point* the school was rated academically unacceptable four years running from the state agency. this has practical real-world effects. letters% home saying you don't have to send your kids here. you can send them across the highway. that left the cast some that did not have the resources to get out that were abandoned but have to much loyalty because their big brothers and sisters went to reagan high. at the moment where i

started to do research for the book with the do or die school year with the ticking clock that scores had to come up or the school was shut down, i chose to follow or profile three people you meet in the book who had been brought to the largely abandoned place for different reasons. the principal, anabel garza starting her second year at the time came to devote herself to education to overcoming personal tragedies. a chemistry teacher that you get to know in the book drawn to a commitment through her e balding christian faith. and the history teacher

better known as a basketball coach was there because it was his school. he was a star on the basketball team in the late 80's early 90's. when it came time to teach it was the natural place. at the beginning of that play test scores are abysmal. graduation rates are what you would imagine but anabel garza identified a heartbeat. it pass to do with history but it has a proud history of consecutive state lowballed championships

nation's schools magazines called it the school of the year for architecture. i know. [laughter] this is a place people cared about. matter how buried it was but not just raise gore's this one year as a herculean task but it forms the narrative and following anabel garza to raise the scorer but at the same time like so many high-school said with these troubles all over the

country just raising the scores will not bring things back to where the madrigal singers your in the statement gives the continent's and anyhow. they try to set the groundwork closer to the public school those that are older cherished. i went to a public high-school north of dallas. in reverential terms we use the phrase all matter. by other mother. everybody knows the ending of this story. it is the end of the book

but not the end of the story. it points to more profound issues many to face for our own kids. it says are most devoted passionate educators can accomplish under this system we have set up. it is an inspiring but hope it makes you very angry. i will read too short passages. then we will get to anabel garza and candace and derrick to ask questions with me so we start on the first day of school 2009 and

anabel garza just turn in making the morning announcements. >> she put the microphone down other than pictures of her own children she managed to paying the city skyline portrait before the towers went up and white boards to plan 900 students schedules after the system principal tried to do it on a computer and a sign that said sometimes you have to take a leap and build your wings on the way down. the law bistro the case look-alike time capsule. newer winners flashing signs of cash. raiders have knowledge but one week ago with the superintendent anabel garza to a good guidance counselor side. what to we need to make this

presentable? money. anabel garza went to a trip to ikea and went to pick up trash thinking the of the principles are not doing this right now. [laughter] acid did not have their younger sisters moving yen to take care of her daughter most night she was out talking to missionaries to have a school improvements facilitator in making mental list of who was missing books, desks and who was just missing. what is the drama? can i give you the short version the assistant principal asked concerning as science teachers largess. somebody suggested confiscating all the furniture from the site and

swing. learning happens in many different ways. the something this silly could get out of hand the pressure everybody was under. science teachers especially. anabel garza looked at the ceiling. she knew mr. kaiser was yon had time and energy to use but -- bair and tables she had the maker once. tell her to lasso the but. i told them not to move furniture. ordinary drama made for a pleasant distraction after the meeting she made her rounds coming across the teacher worried about turning down the fish tank

due to drought conditions. there is a living thing in their. [laughter] so the next passage something that should never have to happen. a few months later anabel has rounded up some of her best students to go to the middle school. it was like scores are coming up and they need to show the middle school students they have a reason to come to reagan high. this will also include at the start athlete at the school at the time now at i was stay on a football scholarship. anabel hurried out to the

bus where the band had a solid rhythm going. she counted heads. first athlete turned up in sandals. where are your shoes? i don't have any he said. you will wear mine. what size? fourteen. she passed around fliers of the electives we have every sport except swim team. we need us when team said anabel. do want to be on it to? >> the bus pulled out of a lot. they rode off to middle schools they once attended to convince a craters reagan

high may have more to offer and cramming and getting stabbed. she surveyed her true. the band drew a crowd where ever they went. they had been called to play up on a friday night lights tv show and tonight they were dressed up. jaquarius was the main attraction and tour attention for showing up. baylor and some bigger programs are looking at him. he said that was his plan all along to shine against a backdrop of a falling dennis d. parker he did not do it alone. he also has to throwback his back foot that leads to

inaccurate passes. when he could stand up and deliver it looks like a different player. and for all of his attention he wins drawing more attention on the basketball court. they made the list of the 10 teams to watch and a sports writer said they have been surprising people. burned from a quarterfinal loss to lbj the team was drawing crowds with there's not much to watch coach davis would keep yelling stay low. they open the season where people were still reeling from then shooting at the army post. with the recognized rating from the state reagan high had one. when the bus driver parked behind a cafeteria the

drummers gathered there things. jaquarius gave the principle of hard time. this is a legal. anabel said we're not recruiting. we are showing off. [laughter] then she turned the subject to testing the entry-level test was coming up and his girlfriend had already passed the test she was applying to baylor notes has no college and no college football. he said when i get to the test it does not translate like i had not been studying. a buzzer was sounding the eighth graders were starting lunch. issue wanted to attract the incoming class it was time to put on the show.

okay. are you ready? they followed him up the ramp and into the cafeteria with their principal close behind calling where are my sprinters and dancers? the paygo resounded and somebody said his it reagan high. the job line dropped into a shuffle resembling hip-hop if not for the tremendous racket with every muscle strain. taking to the floor below the stage the drum line was the common response. they tried to get their voice is as deep as they could but they stop to fix

the sashes of uniform the middle school a little overwhelmed somebody introduced the woman responsible the woman from reagan high anabel garza. rehearing how smart you are, we're here to identify our future readers. and those of you better not coming we hope we can change your mind. one kid called by good. [laughter] xiii. they have seen their middle school both to the same desperate race to make the members. big brothers and sisters going to the middle school closure order now she wanted them to come to the high school for more of the same. she introduced the

band, agitated, yearbook and quarterback. as you can tell we have the best looking kids, the most beautiful girls, the most handsome boy is. the drum line takeover. then silence. frozen. the band lurched back sweating he counted off dance steps and made a big sound. the band played on. reagan high kid stock of model shop and drama club. the middle school girls competed for the attention to make their way up and down each child. when it stopped jaquarius held the door.

the middle school girls did not stop staring until the door close behind his back. she said i don't know what they see. [laughter] and of a lawyer with no shoes. [laughter] [applause] i'd like to bring candace candace, derek and anabel garza up here now. >> i am an alumnus of reagan high class a77 how can the community at large support efforts of all public-school some?

>> send your kids there. [applause] it is more complicated than it sounds. >> absolutely. well-rounded people many of you went to public-school spirit go you don't get such a sheltered experience until you are ready for more. like the man system. [laughter] lazio -- as a community we received help from from our alumni as it reagan high has a powerful history the year the book was written me have over 600 volunteers in the school. they could also seeing a school. we would make sure they were headed in the same direction that we were.

schools need your help. if you and your child to re-read the for the world public-school is the place and never school is a great place to be. probably the most dedicated staff working all the time. like the wedding planner i make sure the experts are connected with the kids. we have wonderful intelligence we need the support of the community. thank you. [applause] >> a couple times i have heard that the school had a

polls. what did that mean at the time? that you knew it would not be a problem to bring it back? >> i felt a heartbeat that there was a lot of love in a community for the school. it had a great legacy and i think and the kids wanted their school open and the teachers wanted to be there for i have never filed so much love for the school. can this and many teachers like her. i am taking the kids to africa up. for girls. [laughter] we're going to raise money.

teachers like her are eager to help i learned many lessons and i say go-ahead. and they made it. the kids came back different. from a community with a higher rate of poverty, kids that don't have anything she took them to one of the world's largest slums in the kids learned i have so much. these kids don't have anything. wrote phoenix to them they have taught me a thing or two. [applause]

>> i work at zero henry and i am inspired that i immediately think we need to get every single politician to read the book to see with their setting you up for and how to change the punishing system of high-stakes testing and what it does to our school. i hope it gets to the politicians. [applause] i got a tax to the other day [inaudible] [laughter] forgive me and want to make it into a question. i teach in the elementary school feeding into reagan high.

we live in the blue oasis with the red state. if you look at the candidates at any level those who are purely anti-intellectual when it comes to science, there is no way to support our schools. who will you vote for? [laughter] [applause] >> i am a student from ohio and i am interning here. two questions. was bereday particular event that you wanted to write the

book? and what inspires you to be the public high school administrator? >> my wife went to the class of 93. i was familiar with the school. it is not one in the event watching the progression of the ticking clock. to be honest i am a storyteller. i saw an incredible story developing so i jumped 10. >> is not glamorous. [laughter] all of my administrators are here tonight. they could tell you. once upon a time they thought we will get out.

[laughter] we will walk around and do situps. [laughter] we usually look very raggedy at the end of the day. kids have needs. if you ever stayed home and you have more than one or even one you know, what you look like at the end of the day. [laughter] with 900 you could imagine. all the needs of students coming teachers, but everybody. we were clearly hard to serve the community. it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks that means you'll have a lot of obstacles because a lot of the world runs around what is easy for the adults.

not for the adults that are serving kids. not glamorous at all. [applause] >> that was a good segue. the chicago teachers union, about 30,000 authorized a strike happening in the next couple weeks. all surrounding the issues house schools don't have resources. and they experience this times 500 with charter schools. they are about to strike the only way to get them to vote to authorize was to create a big community network and

solidarity with the teachers. do you have any idea is in the community? how did your school organize the teachers see you could get the test scores up? that was community building. >> could you repeat the question? [laughter] it is a broad question but in the schools greasy teachers pitted against each other so how could you create the community? >> a lot of that came from the outside community stand up for re again was a community of people but it

was parents, teachers and also politicians, alumni and all the people banded together to say this is not the year we're closing and it was not and we are very glad. that was the year 600 people flooded into the school community, churches, parents and it showed the kids we do care and want to help with whatever you made a and it did take all the people to do that. >> the other thing when you are in bet desperate situation and either we closed-door come together. for all of the flower things

, we like our jobs. we love our community. it was for everybody outside the school and on the campus. [applause] >> i know many people have different roles with administrators, a teachers, could you speak to what part of the story in terms of creating a culture that they gave each other permission to do well? i saw that was extremely important in terms of the students taking responsibility for their learning. >> that is the major peace. many don't give kids the

credit do. if you love your school then you better get up and work like the rest of us. or the school will go away the saddest moment was when we had to plan the final year if you close the school what will happen to the teachers and resources and where does it go? i was listening to other people who have misperception of who our kids were. if you send me 50 kids from another school i will say who are they? they were not my kids. i did not want our teachers

to put to and a situation that they were coming from a loser school. this is your home like going to foster home relieving your family. zero of the teachers also. where do they come from? it was all or nothing. you are in or out. to during, saturday, sunday during, saturday, sunday, up next to the stove while you are cooking we have the most entered -- intricate web of intervention. the kids bought into it there was the pride and the school and the senior class was going to graduate.

this year we graduated the freshman that started that year. and reseller grade did they were the freshman the year that i came and they bought into turning the school of around. we have that type of kids. [applause] >> it is about extracurricular activities and i and a stand it could be a challenge as they work part-time jobs or other obligations but how important is it to keep students involved how

important are these to keep that heartbeat and the challenge for keeping it together? >> in terms of the spirit i think it starts with the extracurricular activities. not just the sport, the band, advancers kumbaya the club's that is where they can let their hair down. [laughter] but look at the extracurricular activities there are two gentlemen over there. they are participants of the basketball team. [applause] i remember reading a part of

the buck. is eerie to see your name. i remember my goal was in the office. anabel leu talks about a vision with a leadership role you have to even if other people do not see it. i wanted to look like the other teams at the tournament with columbia of blue. i said i need $45 and everybody's heads went that way. [laughter] you do what you have to do. she believes it into but it makes it easier. we travel to dallas. i remember like yesterday.

getting ready to play the state team family here who squad? 1213 kids they believed in us so much they followed us. no other activities surrounding the school but that is the spirit of the school so those young men had a perfect storm and it was a great year. we adjusted our thing and made it easy. [applause] >> 84 being here i just want

to commend you for your dedication to the kids that made a difference. they closed my school 1971 and a mated impact on the committee us would have reagan high. i commend everyone on a job well done. [applause] >> he is the same last name. [laughter] >> we have time for two more questions. >> i heard somebody mentioned election-year and having run for office i

encourage due to go to candidate forums with specific yes or no question stand by the microphone do not let them push you away. demand the answer. if money flew out of teachers but every school would look like prince 10. but it comes out of your pocket you can vote for people who do not support education. everyone is the education candidate until they get and then you want them to cut your taxes. it does not work that way. it is your fault. [laughter] thank you. [applause] >> thank you so much. i am a graduate student so i

have bend following the story so i have seen this happen but the question that i have is the story of rescue but what would have happened if the school closed? >> i was on the campus when they had to close bracket would have been a great loss to the community because of the legacy of reagan high. so many people here tonight are probably graduates. they say and constant contact.

we brought back alumni for me to decade we have people there that love for a dead but for the kids belarus their neighborhood school. we're their voices are heard where we do what needs to be done. the kids have a voice. for the teachers, find another job, i go somewhere else, start again a new focus but for the whole district more nation that has a history that is it. we can bring in another

types of schools but some of the most successful people have graduated from public-school seven products it would have been a loss for everyone. we need to change with times but i get rid of of public schools by a glad to see the efforts everybody came to gather that this had a happy ending that year. every year is a new year. we spend more time how we will be successful and strategy's to teach our kids. it is like the perfect storm when it comes together in pieces the testing is a huge

so we are focused on that speesevenspeeseven teen. >> we underestimate how much we forget to and we are terrible even though we have good memories we forget to it is like the fleeting sense then it disappears. not just right everything down but don't overt organize your notes you want to allow interesting idea is but go back and read the

notes from six years ago and revisit that in the a.d. is they had. that is what the conflict was like for those of the great the my tammet. then they could read the book that is a remix of the other things and but it was formed by the real magic and ideas. >> we continue our

coverage of freedomfest 2012 from las vegas. we have ben talk gain with several different authors. we have the book the art of being free. we have author when the mcelroy. tell us about herself. >> i have been active in libertarian is them for about 40 years. this but it is my reaction and two 9/11 end. when it have been the eyes started to rethink everything about libertarianism and my belief system.

for working freedoms because a police state arrived so quickly and so effortlessly. it seems american give up on freedom all-out one moment. i thought about my relationship to the state, how will important it was and how the responsibility of life is what used to be called the business of living. i wrote of buckle gave the theory, the history and the psychology behind my response to the system of think a after 9/11. i am tired.

i am sick to death to debate to the abstraction of. i just want to be free and how to be free in my own lifetime especially given the rise of what i consider the police state. >> host: what have you changed of your thinking from 9/11? concrete examples. >> one added two toward the state's there was the italians say that if you translate it is raining again. big of a government.

that you rail and work against the state. and henry david thoreau basically had the etfs who went out on his essay of civil disobedience with the duties that surrounded him and said i want to look inside myself. i tried to do that increasingly everyday from alternate currencies with alternate myth did the exchange and to privatize to the extent possible.

do not interact with the state. make sure you make going to businesses do not interact with the state we go through the unprecedented period of state control of our lives. you just have to say no. do not marty yourself. that would be reckless. to the extent possible privatize is your own personal life. >> host: do you live off the grid? you do not fly a on airplanes because of tsa? is that the type? >> i am here. i flew. [laughter] i cannot tell anyone what to do in their lives. budget to the extent it is

paul assault -- possible. go private. do not use government. not to misrepresent the book because it is more theoretical and historical and the underpinnings brought i am writing one right now which is more of the house to. this is psychologically preparing people that they are living in a police state. we're not coming to it but a living in it. ask yourself how far are you willing to obey? what will you do if certain situations come up. being free is not something you could take for granted but it is the art of being.

>> host: who is baby chadwick? >> guest: of man who was in jail for many years even though he committed no crime convicted of nothing. and imprisonment due to civil contempt. many people are not aware of what has developed an american court system. if you divorce your wife and she alleges you have hidden assets. the judge says yes even though it is not proven. he went to jail for about 12 years because he refused to

turn over records to a judge. civil contempt. and you could be imprisoned far longer on civil contempt and criminal because you do not have the right to appeal or to have a lawyer. no rights as in a criminal case. there are things of the system people are not aware of. average people like you and me. >> host: is it just the state? what about corporations or searches on the internet zero word behavior's or cellphones or all that information that is out there? >> of course, i am concerned

with the ordinary citizen be a criminal probe i have a hard time drawing a line i a doubt they could exist unless they had state privilege or limited liability or syndication by the state i am not slamming big business it should get as big as it can in a free-market contest. led a flourish and prosper. but yes everyone will go after my data because they can make money off of it. as long as i have the ability to say no all are

shut the door which the state does not let me do but i do with the free-market, then it is up to me. but slammed the door and say mind your own goddamn business. [laughter] >> host: what about the post office? >> in this thrown up at least they perform a service. from the decades when it was established the anti-federal list were censored, and wartime, and a government agency will serve a government purpose that it

purports to provide any government agency is an agency. get rid of that to. >> host: are most libertarians an anarchist? is the anarchist the same? >> there is a lot of overlap. i am and our guest that you could invoke the government that governs best governs least the least government we can have is no government. so what may be called by

some the most libertarians that i know if they were in power to establish their power i would hang up my credentials rather rest of my life. i don't have an argument with most libertarians. >> host: the author of the art the being free. in the back of the book is the invitation? >> to the laissez-faire book club. go to the site and tulane when the mcelroy. you will find a community of

people we are trying to find out how to live liberty we're tired about being depressed to raise our this to say pig of a government. we will always do it and it is a valid response but we want to live free and 312 no that like our neighbors to be viable members of the community. covered rather be a good neighbor fed a good libertarian. >> host: when the mcelroy the art of being free.

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